1937 BENTLEY 4 1/4 LITRE OWEN SEDANCA COUPE

This Bentley 4 ¼ Litre ‘Owen’ Sedanca Coupe by Gurney Nutting is a stunning pre-war tourer, boasting remarkably rare coachwork, a superb colour scheme, and well-documented provenance. Under the bonnet is a 4¼-litre straight-six, coupled to a four-speed manual transmission that is now equipped with overdrive.

The elegant styling - and name - of this Sedanca’s body can be traced back to a design first registered by Captain Harold R. Owen (the individual behind the modern H.R. Owen dealer group), who had worked closely with renowned designer Albert F. McNeil of Gurney Nutting to create a new open-top design. While features of the styling were later copied by other coachbuilders, just 17 examples of the Owen Sedanca are understood to have been built on 3 ½ litre and 4 ¼ litre Derby Bentley chassis.

This particular car is recorded as being sold on 1 September 1937 via H.R. Owen, and handed over two months later to Captain G.H.S. Balmain of the 12th Royal Lancers. It was registered as ‘ELB 451’ and is noted as retaining this plate throughout the duration of its 64 years in the UK. A number of other UK owners are recorded in its excellent history file, and in 1993 it was acquired by the late Tim Forrest, a highly regarded UK collector whose passion for these vintage cars now continues through other members of his family. During his ownership, the car was treated to a ground-up restoration, including a bare-metal repaint, a full engine refurbishment, and a re-trim of the interior in the period-correct leather.

Once the restoration was finished, the car was used sparingly for transport to and from events, and for exhibiting at various shows. In 2001, it was purchased from Mr Forrest, then imported to Australia where it went into the collection of Bentley Drivers Club member Peter Willcox. It was repainted upon its arrival to Australia to refresh the appearance, and treated to regular maintenance and refurbishment where needed. Mr Willcox kept the car the next 14 years, before it joined another significant collection in 2015.

While the odometer today reads 46,650 miles, this is not an accurate total from new. Its impressive history file documents much previous work, with paperwork recording work dating back as far as 1952 - when the engine was rebuilt at 67,805 miles. In short, this is evidently a Bentley that has been driven as intended but also very well maintained throughout its life to date.

Today, its bodywork and paint are described as being in stunning condition. While it is approaching 20 years since its respray upon arrival in Australia, the finish remains in excellent order, presenting with a handsome patina and only very minor blemishes. All of the chromework is also stated to be in superb order, and the engine bay is very clean and tidy. Its contrasting black top and curved ‘dummy convertible’ metal accents give it a charming presence, and it is easy to see why this design was mimicked by other coachbuilders in period.

Inside, the green leather upholstery has a wonderful ‘worn in’ appearance, with no heavy wear or discolouration. All of the trim around the door panels is in equally good order, while the roll-back roof and headlining are in great shape. The woodwork across the dashboard and door caps presents very well, and the only note from the vendor is regarding small marks on the carpet. All of the instruments and switches appear to work as they should, and there are no known faults. Under the boot lid is a suspended tray containing a full complement of tools, which are in excellent condition.

In its period, this era of Bentley was known as the ‘silent sports car’, as a nod to its blend of spritely performance but also exceptional refinement. This car is reported to perform remarkably well out on the open road, aided no doubt by the addition of an overdrive unit on the transmission, giving it genuine long-distance touring comfort.

Accompanying the car is a superb history file, containing records of original build sheets, service paperwork, an original owner's instruction manual, and even the old UK registration log book.

This 1937 Bentley 4 ¼ Litre Owen Sedanca Coupe by Gurney Nutting is a superb example of a remarkably rare pre-war design, produced by one of the most exclusive and renowned coachbuilders of its era. Indeed, it is understood to be the only such Sedanca of its kind to have been imported to Australia. Given its significant appeal to collectors of vintage Bentleys, we anticipate this lot will attract serious interest from around the world. Wherever its next home is located, the next owner is certain to relish this Sedanca Coupe, whether out on the road or simply admiring it within their garage.

The description of this auction lot is, to the best of the seller's knowledge, accurate and not misleading. Collecting Cars requests a range of detail about the lot from the seller, and performs a level of due diligence. However, bidders must satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the description, and conduct any research they feel is necessary before committing to a bid. Please see our Terms and Conditions for full details.

This car’s VIN has been checked against the Australian Personal Property Securities Register, and there is no security interest or other registration kind logged against the serial number. This car has been checked through the Austroads NEVDIS system, and there are no markers under the written-off or stolen databases.